The present invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for mechanically cleaning hot soldering iron bits which have been contaminated or soiled by tin oxides and soldering residues.
During the mass production of electronic circuit arrangements numerous soldering connections are manually made by means of an electric soldering iron. The increasing integration density of the components at low voltages and currents inevitably leads to contact points which are increasingly located closer to one another, and therefore accordingly requires high-grade or precision solder connections.
It is of particular importance that the soldering bit be free of slag or scale, also referred to as solder fins or tabs. To fulfill this requirement there is made available at most manufacturing establishments for the solder equipment operator a felt or flat sponge at which the operator may clean, usually incompletely, at various or irregular time intervals the soldering iron bit by scraping or striking the soldering iron bit against such felt or flat sponge.
There have been made various attempts to attain a soldering iron bit for soldering operations which is at all times clean. For instance, an apparatus and method for cleaning a special capillary soldering iron is known to the art from U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,036, granted Aug. 31, 1976, wherein there is provided a water container for imbuing a cleaning sponge and an oil container for temperature stabilization, greasing or lubrication and protection of the soldering iron tip or bit against oxidation.
Such method is relatively complicated and requires special soldering devices which, especially with alternating series production work, are not universally employable. The use of such cleaning devices for standard soldering equipment appears to be unsuitable.